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The South Wales Evening Post has highlighted Lib Dem Welsh Assembly Member (and top Lib Dem blogger) Peter Black’s generosity to party funds in the last four years – totalling an impressive £27,000, which Peter has used to fund his election campaigns:

… the Cwmbwrla ward member on Swansea Council laughed off any suggestions that he was in the millionaire bracket.

‘I only wish I was,’ Peter said. ‘I have made two donations – to fund my election campaigns in 2003 and 2007. The donations were funded by my council allowances. I paid the money into the party. It is for the work I have done. The money goes into a savings account and I use it from that.’

There’s a jarring note of prurience in the newspaper’s coverage – as if, somehow, elected representatives don’t have the right to spend the money they have earned how they wish. I wonder if the Evening Post would have been happier if Peter had blown the money on a new car, or a luxury holiday – which he wouldn’t have had to publicly declare, and therefore the Post would never have known about?

The democratic process has to be paid for somehow – and I’d rather have politicians putting their hands in their own pockets than asking the taxpayer to foot the bill for our posters and leaflets.